The Warriors of Harmony
by BemnalTheFallen
Summary: The classic fantasy tale of The Warriors of Virtue is retold in Equestria. Max nearly drowns in a sewer system after attempting a stupid dare only to awake in Equestria with the Warriors of Harmony who have been torn apart by unfortunate events and a powerful foe threatens the land. Can he bring them together again with the magic of friendship and stop Nightmare Moon? Anthro.
1. I

The Warriors of Harmony, Frienship is Magic

The classic fantasy tale of The Warriors of Virtue is retold in Equestria. Max nearly drowns in a sewer system after attempting a stupid dare only to awake in Equestria with the Warriors of Harmony who have been torn apart by unfortunate events, and a powerful foe threatens the land. Can he bring them together again with friendship and stop Nightmare Moon? Anthro.

***DISCLAIMER***

I do not own My Little Pony Frienship is Magic or The Warriors of Virtue, nor do I have any aphiliations with them, their producers or their benifactors and make no money on this work of fiction designed purely for entertainment purposes. Please support the official releases.

***DISCLAIMER***

Become a child again and relive the old classic story from oh so long ago of The Warriors of Virtue in a new world with the mane six!

Chapter I

Celestia sat meditating within a dark cave, so dank with waters and shadows that one could barely see. "I remember a time with no wars and no warriors... all that has changed, now I see a dying land and the enemy grows stronger..." she fingered her monk beads as she walked through the cave.

"Is there someone with the courage to step forward?" she squeezed so hard upon the beads that one shot out breaking the link and letting each bead fall down to the floor with its own omnious clank only to be followed in a cacaphony of duplicates.

"But I fear for him... as I fear for us..."

XXXXX

It was a bright and beautiful day in America as Max Geogeson's mother left the house towards her car, "Maaax?! I've gotta run honey! Be back around five, breakfast is on the table! Bye!" she called out as she hustled into her car.

As she reched the car, she dropped her many files and cursed as they hit the ground, the dog almost immediately tried to snap at them causing the woman much distress. "ugh! Hey, where's Max huh? Go! Go get him!" the dog ran off towards the house much to the mother's delight. "Make sure he eats his breakfast!"

When the dog reached inside the house, he hopped up on the table and snatched one of the sandwiches in his maw before plodding up the stairs.

Max sat in the bathroom reading through old comics of Kung Fu warriors, the twelve year old loved martial arts, but moreso, he loved the concept of a brave powerful hero rising up against all odds to defeat evil, the most classic of all conflicts in the Universe.

He could see the entire comic coming to life in his mind, he could hear the clanking of metal as swords colided between samurai, he could feel the impact of their arms and legs hitting and blocking eachother's strikes.

"Ya..." he breathed out when the dog poked his head in through the door and tossed a sandwich at him, "WHA?!" the boy exclaimed, "do you mind?!"

The dog whimpered before leaving the bathroom littered with comics and a distraught max to shake his head and sigh, "dog..." he mouthed before returning to his fantasy world.

But this wasn't the only place where he saw martial arts action...

XXXXX

Chun Yi flailed his laddle around as he sifted different herbs and powders into various soups and bowls in the kitchen of the local resturaunt.

Max watched in awe as oil was poured into a pan only to be lit ablaze as the chef sifted the flaming liquid through the air.

Fliping fish and twirling them through flower before tossing them into the scolding oil, whipping out a knife and cutting the sack of grain from the ceiling before catching it and simultaneously throwing the now cooked shrimp out of the skillet and onto a neaby plate.

Chun grabbed two egs lightly hit them together, and flicked in the drection of the pan while holding onto the shells, the yolky liquid soared through the air and straight into the black iron.

He tossed spoonfuls of rice behind his back and landing them perfectly within a bowl, never once missing a beat.

As Chun handed out the finished products to his customers, he smirked and called out to the boy thirty feet behind him on a stair well holding a bowl. "hey Max?!"

The boy smiled, "Ya?"

"To your right!"

Max held the bowl out to his right side as a scoop of rice landed perfectly on target. People applaud throughout the resturant.

Finally, Chun had a break and sat down next to Max, "have I ever told you about the real Kung Fu masters? They let go of their limitations Max..." he looked out towards the windows, "imagine a world beyond anything you've ever seen..." he looked back to the young boy, "a world of perfect bliss where _anything_ can happen... a world defended by great warriors... no guns, no lasers, no morphing, they use the forces of nature as their weapons through mastering the Elements of Harmony. Through Honesty, Wood. Through Spirit/Magic, Indestructible Metal. Through Loyalty, Water. Through Generosity, Fire. Through Kindness, Earth."

They both stood up and leaned over the railing at the top of the stairs within the resturant as Chun continued his tale, "the warriors of integrity and honor bound by friendship, sailed upon their enemeis with the grace of a dancer and knocked them senseless... with a touch... a feather."

The story was cut short as a man came busting into the resturant screeming at one of the chefs.

Chun chuckled, "well, it's cooking time!" and with that, he departed.

Max frowned for a moment, "hey Chun?"

The man stoped and turned around.

"Are they real?"

Chun smiled, "ancient Chinese secret."

XXXXX

Max stood outside a football field as a game played, he watched with excitement as the youthful teenagers charged through the grass hogging the ball with fierce competition.

But alas, the one holding the ball in a desperate attempt to score a goal was taken down from behind with a full body tackle.

the crowd groaned their dissapointment whispering: "there's no way they can win now..."

The score sat at 16-20

"Time out!" the coach called out and began to assemble his team together and called out for Max.

"Coming coach!" he responded as he rushed over with water bottles.

"Alright now listen, we got time for one more play O.K.?" the coach said as his team gathered.

Max passed around the water bottles.

"Now we're gonna sweep left, no we're gonna sweep right, Jeff, you got the ball."

Butch scowled, "noway coach! That left tackle's been busting through the line all game!" he protested.

The coach turned to him with a stern look, "hey, I've played a few games in my day son, O.k.? I said sweep right, so we're gonna sweep right, now let's go!" the coach turned and left.

Max nibbled on his lip as he handed a bottle to Butch, "Butch, the right safety comes in on every running play, so if you fake to Jeff and then bootleg left you have a clear path to the endzone!"

Some of the team mates laughed, "oh look at the little coach!"

Butch took a swig of water into his mouth before spitting it on Max's shoes. More laughs. "Alright, ready? BREAK!" The players headed off into the field of play.

Max's friend and fellow water boy Jamal patted his back, "come one, let's go Max." they headed off to the side lines.

The players lined up and shifted his eyes around... "Blut 42! Down!" Sure enough, Max's prediction came true, "HIKE!" he faked the pass as the players slammed into oneanother. Slow motion seemed to play out as Butch ducked through the players heading for Jeff as the ball flew through the air towards him, once the offensive realized their blunder, they attempted to catch up with him but he sprinted like a bat outta heck towards the endzone.

Max's face slowly lit up, the fan's eyes widened and the coach's mouth dropped.

One man almost got ahold of Butch but he slipped out and charged on until atlast he scored touch down.

The crows went nuts and Butch's fellow players lifted him into the air and cheered.

But Max's celebration was overshadowed as his eyes sifted through the crows and landed upon Diane a pretty middleschooler with long hair died pink, if ever there was a young puppy crush...

But what Max also saw, was how she cheered for Butch, the star, the hero... but max... he was just a nobody...

Jamasl patted him on the back, "c'mon, let's go get some pizza." he said with a friendly smile.

Max chuckled, "thanks Jamal..." the two boys headed off.

XXXXX

Jamal and Max walked down the sidewalk while Jamal attempted to cheer his friend up, you got ripped man, it was your call!" he put a hand on Max's shoulder.

"What's the difference?!" Max whined as he shrugged the hand off and turned to face Jamal.

The taller boy sighed, "you! Man, that's the whole point, you made the difference!"

"WATCH OUT!" a man cried as a series of people nearly ran them over on bikes, the two boys quickly hopped out of harm's way, "HAY I'M WLAKING HERE!" Jamal yelled defensively.

Jamal scowled before calling out to the group of jockeys, "hey Butch! Max called you out when you payed!"

Butch spun around on his bike creating a grinding noise.

Max felt like dropping dead.

"Aren't you gonna thank him?!" Jamal ordered more so than asked.

Butch strolled up to him. Jeff caught up from behind, "did you say something or did you fart?"

Jamal turned towards the teenager, "Max called the play, you heard me." then he turned back to Butch and pointed a finger at him, "he told you exactly what to do."

Diane giggled from behind butch at the scene, "oh really Butch? I thought you said that was your ingenious idea?" she asked in an amused tone causing Butch to look at the ground and grind his teeth. Then he looked back up to Max, "bootleg left, clear to the endzone," he leaned in, "it was a great call man."

Max blinked in disbelief. Did Butch just... thank him?!

"Th-thanks!" he responded with a crack in his voice.

"Too bad you can't play ball... you're pretty smart." Butch said faking pity in refference to the brace around Max's right leg.

Jamal nodded, "c'mon Max, let's get lost."

"Wait a second." Butch stopped them, "you wanna hang out with us tonight?"

Max smiled, "ya!" he said almost automatically, first Butch thanked him, now he was hanging out with the cool kids?! Things were looking up!

Butch nodded and looked around, "cool... uhhh, we'll be around the Ornate Tunnel at around, eight o'clock?"

"Great we'll be there!" Max replied with a smile.

"Alright." Butch fist mumbed him. "you too up-chuck" he pointed to Jamal before biking off with his lackeys and Diane following in tow.

Jamal turned to Max with a glare, "you got a death wish Max?! I mean the guy's evil! Lucifer thinks he's a little extreme!" he stepped around Max, "he's up to somthin'..."

"So you're not coming?" Max asked in an almost dissapointed tone.

"I didn't say that... after all, you're the man, I'll see ya there." they did a secret handshake and parted ways, Max tossed the foot ball to his friend who caught it, "touch down! An incredible pass from my man simply known as, Max." he pointed at Max before heading down the sidewalk.

Max sighed as he looked down at the restricting brace around his leg... he'd _never_ play sports... no matter how smart he was or how much he loved them... ever...

XXXXX

Max made his way into his dwelling, "hey mom..." he drawled out.

"Hey! Just the man I was looking for, dinner's almost served. I have a meeting in an hour so you'll have to eat alone."

'Again...' Max retorted in his head as he pulled a can of soda out of the fridge and popped it open before limping over to the dining table.

"How was your game?"

"We won, Butch got a touch down on the last play." he said as he took a seat. "I came up with the play..."

"Really? Hey, that's great!" His mother brought the plates of microwaved dinner over, "I'm very proud of you."

"Proud of what?" Max asked indignantly, "I didn't score the touch down..."

His mother frowned, "well that's O.K."

"Ya right..."

"No, it is! You're part of that team and it sounds to me like they wouldn't have won without you."

Max sighed, then he looked down at the plastic tray his mother placed infront of him... it... didn't even look edible... he looked up to his mother with an unsure face, "when's dad getting back?!"

His mother cringed before sitting down with a playful smile, "now are you saying that your father is a better cook than me?"

Max smiled, "no offense."

"hmmm..."

Max stabbed his fork into the... whatever it was and yanked upwards... the entire blob came with it...

"... ya, you're gonna need something else." His mother said before pulling some money out of her purse, "here's something for Mee's" she said as she tossed a twenty onto the table.

"Yi's! You've only been there like a hundred times!" Max said with a sudden defensiveness. He highly regarded Chun, perhaps more than he knew.

His mother sighed, "you mother is just losing her mind walking in and out of that freaking front door twenty four seven..." she sighed, "are you going to be there when I'm in a walker?"

Max flinched, but otherwise didn't respond.

His mother got up and sighed again before kissing his head, "I'll be back in a couple hours." the young boy looked down meloncholy at the unedible food.

XXXXX

Max entered into Chun Yi's resturant and searched for the man.

Max heard people shouting through the resturant as he made his way through calling for Chun, "Chun! Chun!" he almost bumped into one cheff carrying a platter of trays who then began to banter out at him in Chinese.

Poor little Max frowned in non understanding, "sorry..."

Chun sat on the other side of the room with a smile on his face as the cheff continued to scold the boy in Chinese about how he should watch where he placed his body.

"Look I'm sorry O.K.?!"

The cheff grumbled before turning and going around teh table only to slip on a table letting his plates soar into the air.

but just before the back of his head slammed onto the ground, chun's ankle cuaght him on the back of his neck and hoisted him up while catching the plates perfectly and spinning them around before landing them on the table.

The cheffs and waitors applaud as Chun dusted the man off, "I guess you should watch your step huh?" he laughed out.

"Chun!" Max called out causing the cheff to turn around and point an accusing finger at him. Chun waved the man off and ordered everyone ot return to their duties as they still had a resturant to run.

"Hey man! What's goin' on?" he held his hand out.

Max stood staring at it for a few depressed seconds.

"Come ooooon." Chun said enthusiastically.

Max smiled and they did their secret handshake. "Hey, what's got you sick in the blues eh?" Chun inquired.

Max shrugged, "nothin'..."

Chun nodded, "come one, I got something for ya."

"What is it?" Max questioned.

"Come on and see!" he guided him up the stairs to his Chun's temporary home away from home, he washed his hands off in a nearby sink while Max looked at the various trinkets and trophies along a large oak shelf, one of these trinkets particularly grapsed his attention. He walked over to see a jar with cotton balls lining the base and what appeared to be a cacoon within. "What's this?"

"It's a cacoon." Chun replied.

Max grasped the container in his hands and examined it more closely before limping over to the bed.

Chun sat down next to him, "I was on my way home from school. I saw it lying on the ground, just sitting there, moving around something inside. So I got down on my hands and knese and looked real close to see this moth struggling to get out... but he couldn't do it. So I reached down, and tore open the cacoon, and out he came, takes off into the air and flies away! But... then all of a sudden, down he came... into the ground... and dead..."

Max frowned as he looked into the jar, "dead? W-what happened?"

Chun looked down at the jar fondly, "I interrupted his journey. We all have cacoons Max, it's the struggle to free ourselves that makes us whole and gives us the strength to fly."

Max lookd down at his leg, "it's pretty hard to fly if you have a broken wing..."

Chun chuckled and scruffled Max's head, "always so certain of that aren't ya?" Before heading off to his drawer and retrieving an object which he then brought back to Max and offered it to him, "ancient Chinese secret remember?"

Max tilted his head, "a book?"

"A manuscript." Chun corrected.

Max looked down at the book to see five crystals painted in each of a different color and surrounded by a sun bede of overlaping golden pettals like a gilded lotus, the rest of the book's cover was a dull tan save for the back which had letters inscribed in Chinese, "it reads: the Elements of Harmony." Chun explained.

"I was like you once," Chun began, "always wanted to be better, never good enough, wanting to be someone else. But this?" he tapped the book, "this helped me become the person I wanted to be."

"A cook?" Max said with a bit of a mocking laugh before stadning up.

Chun shook his head, "no, myself."

He held up the book and put his hand over the symbol on the front, "this: is Tao. It means the way to something. To yourself. Being the person that _you_ want to be."

Max turned away, "I got all the self help books I need from my mom already... she doesn't get it either."

Chun sighed, he grabbed Max's backpack and put the book inside, "this isn't like the books your mom got you..."

Max looked at the clock, seven thirty... "I gotta go."

Chun tossed the backpack to Max, "check it out, it's yours."

Max smiled, "I'll catch you later Chun" and with that, he limped his way out.

XXXXX

"Man this place makes me itch." Jamal said as he and Max sat infront of a tunnel leading down to the underground sewer system, "this is creepy let's get outta here."

"What?!" Max exclaimed as he grabbed Jamal's hand, "come on this is our chance, don't blow it!"

Jamal sighed as he sat back down.

"We're in!" Max reassured.

Some bicycle lights from down yonder caught their attention, they looked up to see Butch and his freinds arrive just infront of the two boys.

"So you boys decided to show up..." Butch said before dismounting his bike and leading over to the doors leading into a factory just above the sewer system; the doors were locked with chains but a jouvinile delinquent with a crowbar fixed that.

"S-so what are we gonna do here?" asked Max nervously.

Butch looked between the two and smiled, "we're gonna play follow the leader." then he snapped his fingers and two of his budies handed him flashlights which he held out infront of Max and Jamal, "you're the leader."

Soon the group was far below the factory inside the guts of its underbelly with tunnels smeared with slime and what Max and Jamal hoped was red paint from graphidie.

"We really shouldn't be her Max..." Jamal whispered out as they stalked through the dank cold tunnels.

"Just relax O.K.?" Max snapped.

"No, see I told you something was up! And I bet it's gonna get worse, I bet they're gonna carve pentagrams into our chest! Or their gonna make hot dogs out of our guts! Hot dogs Max!"

"Shut up!" Max snarled, hoping that Butch and the others weren't listening,

Eventually they reached a legitammit sewer vault several hundred feet down the tunnel, Butch opened it letting out a puff of steam as heat escaped into the freezing tunnel.

Max and Jamal stood over the vault and gulped. Jamal looked around, "me oh me oh my, you konw? I just remembered I have a Spanish test to take tomorrow, audios amigos!" right as he tried to run off, Butch and his friends snatched him by the jacket and pulled him back, "mm mmm!"

Once the group descended through the ladder, Max got a full view of a large cylindrical room with a railing along the edges, the center of the room several feet down held a whirlpool and a long one foot thick pipe connecting one side of the room to the other with breaks in the bridge alone the outter rim leaving the only means of crossing from one side to the other being the slippery pipe.

The walls were full of graphidie.

Butch tapped him on the shoulder, "to hang with us, you gotta be initiated."

Max's eyes widened as he stared down at the raging malestrom of sewer water.

"Alright, now this is simple," Butch began, "alls you gotta do is walk accross, and give us an autograph."

Max looked to the other side of the room littered with names, among which were Butch and all of his buddis, even Diane's was on there.

Butch shook a spray pain can up before handing it to Max, "make your mark."

Max gulped.

"Butch!" Diane exclaimed, "you said you wouldn't make him do it! He can't!" she pointed towards Max's leg brace.

"We all did it!" Butch yelled before turning back to Max, "you want in, it's up to you."

"Butch... don't..." Diane tried while Butche's other buddies began making chicken noises.

"Max, don't do it..."

Butch turned around, "hey!..." he looked back to Max, "fine, I'll meet you on the other side."

A series of ohhhohoo! filled the room as Butch stood on the pipe and balanced his way accross, the others began sending otu mocks and sounds causing him to yell, "shut up!" before focusing on the task at hand.

Some of his friends gasped when he almost lost his grasp, but finally he hopped off the pipe onto the other side and held his fists up in victory. Cheers sounded and Diane sighed.

Butch looked to Max with a smile, "come on Maxy! Come on." he egged him on like a dog.

Max looked down at the spray canister as he heard Diane from behind him, "come on Max, he's just making fun of you..."

Butch's buddies began chanting Max! Max! Max! Max!

"Come on man, this is stupid!" Jamal reasoned, "make like time and cruise!"

"Shut up Jamal! I can do this!" Max protested, "look, he did it!"

"Ya! But you're not him!"

Ooooh!s sounded throughout the room.

Max stared silently as he processed that. Not him... not the cool guy. Not a winner. Not a hero. Lame. A loser...

Max glared, he grasped the cannister and began shifting accross the pipe.

"No! Don't Max!"

"Come on dude!" Diane and Jamal attempted.

"Shut up!" Max replied as his handicapped leg made it onto the pipe with him.

"Come on... you got it..." Butch said.

"ooooh careful!" "Dont fall iiiin!" the others mocked.

"Guys, don't distract him!" Diane snapped.

The pipe bounced a bit from Max's shaking, he made it about one quarter of the way at a snail's pace.

"You're moving like a baby!" Butch yelled.

Max's eyes galzed over as he stared down at the raging whirlpool as if daring him to continue.

Half way through he almost lost his balance but regained it and took a minute to recompose himself.

"Hey!" Butch yelled, "you see that?" he pointed at another large open pipe facing the whirlpool.

Max looked to it. "You never know when it's gonna take a dump." Butch taunted.

Max's eyes widened even further than before. he tried hurring along with his braced leg, shifting by while voices carried through the room, "come on!" "come one let's go! Gotta be quick!"

A donging lug filled the room, Butch looked up, "huh?..." People around the room shifted eyes, "what is that?"

The large pipe above the pool shook before a torent of water shot out and struck Max sending him down into the whirlpool screeming for his life.

"MAAAAAX!" Diane and Jamal screemed out. Max flaied around in the water, he tried to swim but the torents threw him in every which direction, he tried to hold his breath but was smacked into the walls forcing air out of his lungs and replacing it with water.

Butch put his hands on his head, "oh my go..!"

Diane screeemed, "help him Butch!"

Max's eyes shifted around as he fell further and further down in the water levels, the shimering lights on the surface water grew dimmer and the distorted voices more faint... Until finally everything was silence... Lack of oxygen... he... he closed his eyes...

END OF CHAPTER


	2. II

Chapter II

Max's body surfaced in a lake, his uncocnious body drifted towards a swampy shore as if something was pushing him from under the surface of the water... but then it fell again...

A cyan body dove under and pulled him up before draggin him ashore onto the moss covered surface of the forest. A rainbow colored tail swished behind the being.

Max lay there for an hour before his eyes awoke to the sound of exotic birds and crickets, he gasped and failed around screeming before realizing that he was no longer drowning... he looked up and saw huge trees that stretched so far up he coudln't see their leaves beyond a layer of mist and fog, the forest around him was a mix of chill and comfy humidity...

Max stood up and looked around, the trees were thicker than any he'd ever seen, thick fines and plant life sprouted from them alongside mushrooms. Max blinked, "wh..." he then noted the lack of moister and checked his clothes, "huh? Dry..." He stepped back a bit, "Jamal?... Jamal! Jeff! Come on you guys cut it out!" he walked through the dry mud of the forest floor, its foggy atmosphere and the way some of the shadows seemed to move on them out making his skin crawl.

"JAMAL! DIANE!" he looked around and saw fireflys circle around his body before sifting off into the sky, with a look up, he saw the vines stretching all the way past the mist line.

But movement behind him caught his attention, he turned around and saw a tall man in dark blue chainmail baring a crescent moon with a black steel helmet holding a halberd, "HEY YOU!" he pointed at max who immediately turned and bolted.

Max ran and ran when the armored man hurled the halberd spearing the boy through his backpack. Max fell to the ground with an oof!

The man laughed, "gotcha!" he exclaimed and walked over to the prone boy.

Max blinked in suprise when he found that he was still alive, his must've absorbed the blow... and people say that education won't save your life...

The man yanked his halberd up as Max rolled until the attacker was holding his backpack only, "huh?" the warrior looked curiously at the red sack as Max back peddled on his but.

A jetstream burst through the river and a cyan blue body soared through the air, the warrior turned just as a blue hoof crashed into his skull sending him flying, his head smacking into a tree as he did so. He fell to the ground as a metalic ringing purged his mind, he crawled over behind the tree and pryed the helmet off, his black hair and beared filled with sweat.

He was about to let out a sigh of relief when he heard the screeming of his fellow Night Guard and looked around the tree to see him sent hurlting through the air as well with unnatural speed, "AAAAAAAOP!" his body faceplanteed into the tree and he fell to the ground unmoving.

Two more guards came falling from the trees heights and crashed into the ground, their armor caving in and crushing their bodies, one of the guards landed in the water and flaied his arms around in the air before the water itself latched around his body and dragged him down beneath the surface until he was knocked uncocnious, once so, he was shot out into the air and landed on his stomach on the lake bed.

An animilisted screech sounded from their assulted making the leader cover his ears in pain and the remaining Lunar Guards flee for their lives.

Max finall poked his head out from his hiding place, he turned abou a tree to see a two legged cyan blue pony with horse hooves for feet, human hands and fingers, a rainbow streaked tail and mane with amythest pink eyes, an equine maw and two lare angel like wings with pony ears resting ontop of her head which twitched at the sound of Max's footsteps, it stood at least three times his height with rippling toned muscles wearing a sapphire blue tunic made of swaddled cloth and shashes.

Max stared at the creature for a few moments before screeming at the top of his lungs and sprinting off in the other direction.

The creature tilted its head, "hmm..."

Max ran and ran until the dried dirt under his feet became leaves, he finally stopped when a realization hit him... he... was running! he looked down at his right leg which was devoid of the brace, "it... works..." he ran his hand along his leg as tears began to form in his eyes, "my leg... works! IT WORKS! YES! YES!" he jumped around before summersaulting and cartwheeling and doing all the things he'd always wanted to do in his handicapped life.

"Set! Flow 42! Set! Hike!" he ran with an imaginary ball in his hands, "Max spins through the defenders! Oh he cuts back! Spinning and step arming! Back to the sidelines! He goes! Goes past defenders with the stiff arm, stiff arm! Oh he spins again!" he fell onto his stomach, "fumble! But Max's covered! He gets back to midfield at the pen! He-" Max tripped over a tightened cord attatched between one tree and another and fell to his stomach just as he heard a warcry from above.

A small man not much taller than Max landed on his back and rolled him over. "Get off me you midget!" Max yelled as he struggled against the man. "You're not getting away!" the thief yelled back.

The man began to strangle Max as he beat back at the thief's face, "let go punk!" Max chocked out.

Suddenly a spear flew through the air and caught the Theif by his shirt and sent him hurling forward and nailing him to a tree. "ACK! PLEASE I SUBMIT! I SUBMIT! WHO'S THERE?"

Max finally got up coughing and brushed the leaves out of his zip up sweater. Max then turned around to see a beautiful woman with long curly pink hair and bright blue eyes, "are you hurt?" she asked in a sing song voice.

"He's new Pinkie! Came right out of the river I saw him! And he's mine!" the Thief yelled.

Pinkie knelt down to the boy's height and asked, "you're really a newcomer?"

Max blinked, "I... I just fell in the water, I-I slipped, and-and then... then those things they... they came out and tried to kill me!"

"Those were Nightmare Moon's men." Pinkie responded "we're not safe here, come on." she put a hand on Max's shoulder and an arm around his back holding him tight, he blushed as his face was pressed into her chest but was thrown completely off equilibrium when they both soared up into the sky, "WOOOAAAAHHHH!" Max yelled as they seemed to levitate into the air.

"Pinkie!" The Thief yelled, "a little reward for my efforts!" the Theif struggled against the tree as the spear stood unrelenting against the wood, "oh come on!"

XXXXX

Inside Nightmare Moon's citadel, men and a few anthromorphic ponies, a few gryphons and dragons lined up in black robes and dark armor.

"There is a specific point to sending a spy unit Commander, you were not supposed to be seen!" a Gryphon in a gold and black robe chastized as a man in dark and silver armor holding Max's backpack followed him, "General we were attacked!"

"Well, you can explain it to her yourself!" the General said before taking a swig from a small vial, "and she's not happy."

The Commander gulped. Two bat winged Pegasi Night Guard sniggered nearby as the Comander walked up unto a large platform encrusted with five different colored crystals and surrounded by the Tao symbol.

A black looking pony with a mishapen horn and holes along her arms and legs with a slimy blue mane stood behind the two snickering Pegasi guards as they made thumbs down gestures and saying "bye bye! ohh! ow!" they winced as Chrysalis stuck clawed fingers into their backs and repremanding them to behave.

The General felt like facepalming but settle for rolling her eyes when a loud machanic sound rang out from above

The throne room they all stood in was more of a great hall with lavish black marble ceilings and floors, statues of demons filled the walls and Nightmare Moon's nightguard lined the walls.

The Commander knelt on the Tao symbol as a powerful menacing voice sounded out, "Commmmaaaaandeerrrr~ Faiiiillureeeee is In your eeeeyeeeesss..."

The Commander held the backback out infront of him with both hands.

A large silver teardrop cage with winding bars in an eldrich fashion with one side open and bare made its way slowly down to the room's floor with Nightmare Moon inside, she stood at least 12 feet tall with long lanky arms and legs, silver armor concealed under a dark blue tunic and sadistic cat slit teal eyes pearing out at the wall opposite her court. Her etheral starlight mane flowing behind her, her black skin and large black feathered angel wings behind her as she stood on her hooves.

"An open wound, infects LIKE a disease... and sprrreads... and sprrrreads like an infection!..." she almost pured with a honey yet demonic tone in her voice as if she were singing of the death of a child.

The Commander shook in terror as he heald the backpack up.

Moon tilted her head, "...I smell... fear." she turned around with her heands clasped together, "YOU KNOW WHAT?!" everypony and body jumped, "... nothing..."

"M-my lady... p-please... l-look! I brought you this! I-it's from a boy, a newcomer!" the Commander stammered out.

"Newcommer?" Nightmare Moon said with a supprised look, she waved her hand and the backpack went flying into Nightwing, one of the fidgeting Nightguards to Chrysalis' left and smacking him square in the face. He then levitated back to his face and shook his head before looking down at the red sack in his hands with an amused smile.

Nightmare Moon leaned against the side of the cage and held her hand out, "rise." she said quickly and quietly.

The Commander shakingly stood up.

"Sloooooowwwwly stand up... don't be afraid..." Moon held her hand out, "I want to take away... your terror..." she held her hands up to her chest and cycled him in a locomotive fashion, "there is nothing to fear... beacause nothing... dies..."

The Commander blinked.

Moon held one hand daintilly at her side while the other reached up slightly and she looked to the sky "listen..." her outstretched hand made a circle in the air, "life... is but a dream... flowing into another dream." she then held the hand palm up as if shrugging.

The Commander nodded uncertainly.

Moon then held her hand up palm facing the Commander, "bye."

"wha?" the floor underneath the Commander opened up and he fell through screeming.

The General closed her eyes in mourning.

Moon clasped her hands again before lifting a hand up to run it through her ehterel mane, "General Gilda"

The Gilda looked to the Alicorn.

"I ask you this," she tilted back a little and gave a smile as she looked down at him, "what's the point of power, if you don't abuse people hm?"

Gilda swallowed.

Moon then turned to Nightwing, Ghost, and Chrysalis, "open it!" she comanded.

Nightwing and Ghost giggled like foals before tearing the sack open. Books, pencils, markers, notepds, a deck of cards and what not poured out onto the ground. Among other things, The Manuscript fell out as well and slid over towards Gilda's feet, he bent down and picked the book up. "My Lady! It's the symbol of Tao!"

Nightmare Moon's eyes widened and she turned to the general.

"Could this be The M-" the book was snatched out of Taven's hands by Moon's magic and sent into her own. "anuscript..."

Over in the bafoon area, Chrysalis held Max's gameboy and licked the screen in curiousity as it lit up with pixelated sounds, Ghost held sun glasses in his mouth and made faces while Ghost poked his maw through a speared text book and yelled like it was a magaphone.

"LIEUTENANTS!" Nightmare shouted causing the three to jump and stand at attention with overly serious faces.

Moon looked down at The Manuscript, "at last..." she pulled the bindings off and opened the cover. Her smile faded however as she leafed through the pages...

She looked up to her Lieutenants, "find this newcomer and bring him to me."

"Pleasure my Lady." the three said in unison.

"Alive." Moon finished causing a curious glance from her General.

XXXXX

Pinkie paddled her hand through the water as the canue sailed through a gentlee river.

Max sat staring befor he finally found his voice, "who are you? Where am I?"

"I'm Pinkie, your in Equestria, or more specifically, the Everfree Forest heding for the vilage of Tao." Pinkie answered.

"Tao?" Max asked earning a nod. "Manuscript..." Max mumbled as Chun's words rang through his head. "I thought it was just a story, I didn't believe him!"

"What Manuscript?" Pinkie asked with a tilt of her head, "what does it look like?"

Max thought it over before his eyes landed on the front of the boat inscriped with the Tao symbol, "that!" he pointed "it has that on the cover!"

"The Manuscript of legend?" Pinkie pondered.

"wha?"

"The Manuscript of legend, "mistress Celestia once told us about a book that had special powers, she said if it ever returned to Tao, it could change everything."

Max frowned, "who's Celestia?"

"She's our leader." Pinkie replied, "when she came to Tao she taught us the ways of peace and harmony, before, all living creatures resided in a state of chaos and war, each species sticking to its own and refusing to cooperate. But Celestia changed all that. Now all creatures, animals, and humans live together in harmony and frienship... but it didn't last... Celestia had a sister who once was as benevolant as she but... then she discovered the power of the Life Springs and... it... _changed_ her."

Nightmare Moon roared as her armies poured through each city one by one, a group of men and dark ponies speared a needle through a yellow crust over a pond in the center of each town.

"Nightmare Moon began mining the Life Springs for a mineral called Sepiene. The Life Springs are where we live, they radiate energy to the rest of Equestria."

Soldiers charged through the towns as they faded from the light until only dark ghastly shells remained; people, ponies, zebras, dragons, and griffons fell dead in the streats as their vitality was sapped.

"without the Sepiene, the inhabitants of each town died."

Nightmare held a vial up to her lips and drank from it, her once turquise mane flowing into an ethereal unnatural state.

"Nightmare Moon uses the Sepiene to keep herself young and strong. Immortal and unnatrually powerful. But that's why she's so desperate for it..."

Nightmare Moon looked over the map of Equestira showing every town marked off until only Tao remained.

"Now there's only one Life Spring left..."

"Can't anyone stop her?!" Max asked.

Pinkie shook her head, her pink curls bouncing, "no, not even the Warriors of Harmony."

Max's eyes lit up, "WARRIORS?! KUNG FU?! What do they look like?!" he asked excitedly.

Pinkie stood up and took the oar, "they're Ponies."

They entered into a large forested vilage with giant leave and shrubbery filled with boats and a docked market along the sides; humans, anthromorphic ponies, zebras, griffons, dragons and minotaurs all bustled about the place.

Max looked aroung in awe as the boat slowly ebbed its way through the waters and past the Life Spring nodes with two large bridges overhead.

Then a tall white coated Alicorn in a white robe with a flowing multicolored mane stood out on a balcony haigh upon a treehouse-like spiral stairway and held her heands out, "Citizens of Tao! Listen to me please, calm yourselves." her voice boomed out silencing the rush of the market. "We cannot let our fears defeat us..." a few citezens voiced agreements and disagreements. "The warriors of Harmony _will_ protect us!"

A Dragon stepped up, "but Mistress Celestia, has Rainbow Dash returned?"

Celestia looked crestfallen, "no... she has not..."

Iron Will stood up, "then how will the Warriors of harmony protect us, if there are only four of them!"

The dragon spoke again, "Nightmare Moon's soldiers have already been spoted inside the Everfree!"

Bickering sounded throughout the town.

"What are we going to do?!" "WE'RE DOOMED!"

"Listen to me, please!" Celestia attempted but the bickering continued.

"Mistress Celestia!" Pinkie called out from below in her white dress, "we have hope! A newcomer has arrived!"

"NEWCOMER?!" Iron Wil shouted.

Max turned around and his eyes widened when he saw the minotaur. "he's too small to be a newcomer!"

citezens bickered on the bridge.

A Zebra yelled something out in his native language and a Griffon nearby voiced his agreement as the bickering sounded out louder and louder into an incomprehencible babble.

Max plopped back down into the boat, "Houston, we have a problem..."

Eventually, Pinkie led Max ashore and he was brought into one of the upper treehouses. He gazed around at the old and outdated equipment, iron pots and kettles, sewing needles and bread making tools... he then walked out onto a balcony and heard a voice from behind him, turning to see Celestia sitting on a wooden throne.

"Newcomer, Pinkie says you have brought the Manuscript, may I see it?" she asked in a gentle tone.

Max flinched.

"It is important newcomer."

Max turned around, "the name is Max."

Celestia sighed.

Max walked over to her, "show me the Warriors of Harmony? Please?"

Celestia chuckled and grasped his hand, with a flash of light, they were gone.

XXXXX

The two reaperated in a beautiful looking meadow with lush green grass, ungnarled trees, and a blue pond in the center with a mountain on one side of the enclosed training ground.

The peaceful playing of a flute sounded out from below a balcony that Max and Celestia stood upon.

"I train these fine warriors to protect Tao." Celestia said as she leaned on the railing. "each upholds honor and integrety."

Max turned to the Alicorn, "do they fight with Kung Fu?"

Celestia chuckled, "they use the forces of nature through taping into their inner most strength; each wields an Element of Harmony within their soul. Through this, they can control the forces of nature, Earth, Wood, Fire, Metal, and-"

"Water..." max finished for her smiling, "Chun was right..."

Down below on a wooden deck, a yellow Earth Pony with a golden mane in a tunic of bamboo swung around a wooden staff and hurling through the air with twirls, spearing and hacking it with graceful revolutions.

"this is Applejack, virtue of Honesty ever blunt and true, stable like wood; following logic and order but often coming off as a bit mhm.. grumpy..."

Applejack kicked a bucked tied with a rope over to the opposite side of the traing ground only to leap over to its location and obliterate it with her staff.

On the ground, a lump surged through the ground before a yellow coated and pink maned Pegasus with a bright green tunic of vines and flowers burst through the dirt and spun around in the air, once she landed she whiped a obsidian longsword. "Fluttershy, virtue of Kindness, security of Earth. Motherly and nurturing"

Swinging the sword around in the air, she stabbed at the sky causing a rain of flower peddles to fall around her.

Max looked over the other side of the balcony and saw a white coated Unicorn with a purple mane in a red tunic with ruby encrusted plates of armor here and there leap from a blacony down to the railying of a stairwell. "Rarity, virtue of Generosity, Element of fire. Flame may destroy on its own, but when used with imagination, it can create the greatest of beauties to share with the world." she whiped out an elastic sling and with a yank, sparkling fireworks lit the entire chain up as she whipped it around chaotically. "Often playful, but very wise."

Just then, from above, a metalic ring surounded by a purplesh aura flew through the air out of one hole in the mountain and toward another just as a lavander Unicorn with a two tone mane of dark violet and a stpripe of light pink covered in strips of steel bandedmail armor with multiple thick rings along her wrists front flipped through the large steel ring and caught it on her way down slowling her fall with telekinesis. "Twilight Sparkle, virtue of Spirit or Magic. Strength of Metal."

Twilight landed infront of Rarity and the two began sparing. "She does not speak, and sees every choice as right or wrong, nothing inbetween."

Max frowned as he looked at the mares before turning to Celestia, "you said there were five..."

Celestia nodded, "yes, the other is Rainbow Dash, their leader. Virtue of Loyalty, force of water."

Max furrowed his brows, "well... where is she?"

Celestia sighed, "Rainbow Dash... has lost her will to fight and now lives in complete solitude in the Everfree Forest.

Max looked down at Twilight as she twirlied her large steel ring around and hoping to avoid Rarity's flaming whip.

"Gosh they're so cool..." Max breathed.

Just then, the links on the metal pieces around Rarity's whips unhinged and sent bolts of fire flying through the air with no clear target, "woops!"

Celestia floated down and whipped her sleave around in a spiral catching all of the prjectiles and lowering them into the water.

Soon the four ponies and Celestia sat metidating in the center of the grounds when Max came down, as he stepped near the circle, Twilight whipped her head around and raised her ring armored wrist with a purplish aura surrounding it.

Max stood completely still and after a few moments, Twilight lowered her wrist and relax.

Celestia looked over, "don't be afraid, this is Twilight."

Max looked at the tall pony who's tail swished back and forth, he held out his hand, "Max, how's it goin?"

Twilight rose her hands in a fighting stance.

"It's alright." Celestia assured holding her hand up in Twilgiht's direction. Then she held her hand out to each of the other mares, "this is Applejack. Fluttershy, and Rarity." Each of the warriors nodded in turn. "He is a newcomer and has brought something important to us."

Max felt his stomach do a sumersault.

XXXXX

They stood now on an outer balcony within the city of Tao, it was nightime and candles lit about the place like tiny fire flies in the distance.

"Now Max, may we see The Manuscript?" Celestia asked.

Max looked nervously at the ponies and backed a bit away, "look I don't have it! One of you guys has it."

Fluttershy and Rarity looked at oneanother, "us?"

Max stepped forward, "when you saved me from Nightmare Moon's soldiers it was in my backpack. I was at the river remember?"

"Backpack..." Fluttershy repeated, "what's a backpack?"

Rarity pondered for a moment, "Rainbow Dash... if he was saved at the river it must have ben Rainbow Dash."

Applejack whiped her head around to Rarity with a glare, "FERGET RAINBOW DASH!" she shouted.

"But Applejack.." Fluttershy began, "what if she can help?"

"Rainbow Dash don't care non abou tour cause anymore! She won't help!" Applejack snapped before crossing her arms and staring down at the firepit.

Fluttershy frowned.

Celestia looked around the circle, "in this struggle, all five of you must work together, we must find Rainbow Dash."

Applejack grumbled.

"Without the Manuscript of legend, we can not defeat Nightmare Moon."

Silence fell...

Time passed and soon everypony and one left. Max found himself sitting on a log near a river with a waterwheel spinning methodically next to him. Pinkie sat down beside him and spoke, "what are you thinking about?"

Max jumped a bit at the sudden voice but calmed again, "home..." he mumbled, "I wonder if my mom and dad are worried about me."

Pinkie smiled, "what are your parents like?"

Max looked to face her, "I don't know... no, they're pretty cool."

Pinkie tilted her head in confusion, "cool?"

Max felt like face palming, "I mean they're nice."

"Oh..." Pinkie said simply. "I wish I'd known my mother and father..." she stared down at the flowing water and Max was left without much of a reply; so much burden was carried with those words.

Finally, Pinkie spoke again, "they died just after my sisters and I were born... mistress Celestia looked after us..." A tear ebbed its way out from the corner of her eye.

Max nibbled his lip, "where's your brother?"

Pinkie frowned further, if that was even possible, "they were recently killed..."

Max gulped, talk about a touchy subject, "I'm sorry..."

Pinkie shook her head and her bright smile returned, "you must've been a great leader in your world to be trusted with The Manuscript of legend."

Max smiled, "not really... I was just a bad follower... but I'd sure like to show them now!"

Pinkie giggled, "show them what?"

Max got up and hopped around, "that I can run! And play football! And be just like everyone else!" he ran down the stepps excitedly.

Pinkie stood at teh top of the stairs laughing.

"What?" Max asked holding his hands out.

Pinkie descended down to meet him, "nothing, I just think I've found a friend." she said with a smile.

Max smiled up at the woman, "so am I."

Pinkie looked ahead, "come on, there's something I wanna show you." she rushed down the steps.

"Show me what?!" he exlaimed after the retreating woman.

"Come on!" Pinkie called out.

END OF CHAPTER


	3. III

Chapter III

Pinkie led Max into a large stone temple filled with old roots and decayed walls filled with statue carvings depicting Unicorns, Pegasi, and Earth Ponies.

"This was built in honor of the Ponies, a long time ago back when they were revered by everyone." Pinkie explained.

Max looked up at Twilight's statue, "how come she doesn't talk?" he asked as he began walking through the temple.

"She used to, but after the war in Equestria started, she saw so much suffering that she hasn't spoken since."

Max stood next to Pinkie, "why'd Rainbow Dash leave everyone?"

Pinkie frowned as she grabbed a long of her pink hair and fiddled with it, "she killed someone in a battle..."

Max looked around the temple, "so what? It was a battle, people die."

Pinkie turned around with anger on her face, "IT WAS A LIFE!" Then she relaxed again.

"I'm sorry I... I didn't mean it that way..." Max mumbled.

Pinkie sighed, "it's just that the Warriors of Harmony made a creed never to kill... but Rainbow Dash... someday you'll understand..."

Max made his way behind a stone column out of Pinkie's sight, "understand what?" he asked when suddenly a clawed black hand clasped over his mouth and yanked him through a hole in the wall.

Pinkie gave a laugh, "you remind me of my sister... she's alw-... Max?" she looked around, "Max?! MAX!"

"Piiiiiinkiiiieeee..." Nightmare Moon's voice echoed throughout the temple making the woman's blood run cold. She turned and bolted out the exit.

"Piiiiinkkkiiieeeeee~" Moon sung out from the shadows.

XXXXX

"LET GO OF ME!" Max struggled against the webbing that cuffed his hands being held by Chrysalis with Ghost and Nightwing accompanying her.

"shh!" Ghost said suddenly as they spotted a cyan figure sitting on a stump within the forest.

"Rainbow Dash!" Nightwing sneered as he stepped forward, "heeeeyyy Rainbow!"

Dash sat facing away from them with her tail swishing idly back and forth.

"Hey Rainbow crash! Come to play? Where's your sword? You killed anyone today?" Nightwing and Ghost burst out laughing.

Rainbow Dash's ears twitched, she cracked her neck and turned around with a growl, her tail swiped the leaves on the ground and sent them flying into the kidnapper's faces knocking them to the ground.

Rainbow flew right into Nightwing and bombarded his chest with a bycicle kick sending him crashing into a tree.

Chrysalis dropped the rope and held her claws up which extended into knife blades before charging in; Max took the opportunity to high tail it.

Chrysalis swipped her claws left and right but Dash easily dodged and parried by tapping her wrists with her fingers. Chrysalis got close and snapped her hoof up for a kick but Dash knocked it back down with her elbow; Chrysalis then spun around on the ground to trip Dash who jumped in the air and then ducked as Chrysalis tried to roundhouse her. Chrysalis thrust one hand forward which Dash knocked out of the way and then caught her right and as it came forward, cranked the wrist at a painful angle, then thrust it forward and back handed Chrysalis accross the face.

Chrysalis returned fire but Dash ducked under the strike, then side stepped another thrust which landed Chrysalis' claws into a tree and ripped out a plank of wood from its bark.

Then she threw it away and shredded at Dash who caught both her hands and twisted both wrists into a joint lock, then lifted her leg and kicked Nightwing who charged in from the side.

Nightwing slammed into an oustretched branch and fell to the ground in pain.

Chrysalis was on her kneese wincing as Dash applied more presure to her locked wrists. With a light thrust, Dash sent Chrysalis flying into the air and landing ontop of Ghost making him grunt.

Max bit at his bindings in an attempt to loosen them as Chrysalis and Ghost ran over to Nightwing and picked him up, then they rand off with their tails between their legs.

Dash grunted and turned to leave when Max came out into the open leaf covered area with his hands finally freed, "hey!" he called out.

Dash turned to the boy.

"You're Rainbow Dash aren't you?" he asked. Dash didn't reply.

Max ran over to her, "I'm Max the newcomer, you saved me at the river remember?" Dash nodded.

"Can I have the Manuscript?" Max asked, "I need to bring it back to them."

Dash tilted her head, "the Manuscript of legend?"

Max frowned, "you mean you don't have it?"

Dash shok her head.

"...then Nightmare Moon must have it... look, you have to helpt them get it back! Mistress Celestia says they need you!"

Dash turned away.

"Come on let's go!" Max exclaimed.

Dash turned around completely, "you don't understand." and with that, she ran off.

"Hey!" Max yelled out as Dash leapt off the grounds and spread her wings. "WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!"

Silence met him.

Max's faced twisted in anger, "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF THEM!" his voice echoed through the trees of the Everfree, "HONOR! INTEGRETY REMEMBER?! WHAT HAPPENED TO BEING THE ELEMENT OF LOYALTY?!... You can't run away forever!"

More silence...

"No wonder they gave up on you... WHIMP!" Max turned around and started walking back towards Tao, "Applejack was right, she doesn't care..."

A burst of wind stopped his tracks as Dash landed infront of her, "come on, let's go."

Max beamed, "yes!" he ran up and Dash wrapped an arm around him and hoisted him up onto her back, she spread her wings and took off into the air. "WOOOAAAAAHHHHH!" Max yelled out.

XXXXX

Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity and Applejack stood on the balcony of the training ground, when a scent hit their noses, "it can't be..."

They looked to eachother in question when Dash came bursting throught the viines and landed on the platform, Max dazilly dismounted, "that... was awesome..." he mumbled out with his hair blasted back and stumbling about.

Fluttershy walked over and straightened him, "thank you Max." she said befor walking over to Rainbow.

Dash looked away, "Fluttershy I..."

Fluttershy put a hand on her shoudler, "Dash..."

Dash looked into Flutterhsy's smiling eyes and hugged her tight.

"I knew you'd come back..."

The others got a look at her, Applejack grunted and walked away in a dark demeanor.

Twilight walked over and clanked her armored wrists together before putting a closed fist over her heart.

Dash smiled, "thanks." she did the same.

Rarity joined them and smiled, "there was always wisdome in your heart dear, welcome home."

Applejack stood facing away with her arms crossed, "Dash, yall shouldn't of left. Order has been disrupted!"

Dash winced, "I was wrong I... the newcomer helped me realize that."

Fluttershy walked next to Applejack and tail whiped her, "come on Applejack!"

Applejack turned around and looked at Dash before returning to her childish sulk. Fluttershy talk whiped her again, "come on!"

Applejack turned to the yellow Pegasus who gave her the stare.

Applejack finally caved, "it... is good to have yall back..." she mumbled out.

"Thank you AJ." Dash beamed.

Max looked around at them, "Dash, tell them about the Manuscript."

Dash's face turned serious, "Nightmare Moon has it."

Rarity sank, "we'll never stop her now... its knowledge is hers..."

"That's not so Rarity." Celestia's voice sounded as she walked into the balcony with monk beads in her hand.

"Mistress Celestia." all five warriors bowed.

"It's good to see all of you together again." Celestia smiled.

Dash spoke up, "forgive me..."

Celestia nodded, then she held her hand out towards Max, "the newcomer brought the Manuscript, he is the only one with the eyes to see what is written."

Everypony turned towards Max.

"Me?" the boy asked.

Dash had a determined look on her face, "Mistress, on my life I swear that I will get the Manuscript back from Nightmare Moon."

A half hour later out on one of the bridges, Iron Will stood an raist his fist into the air, "RAINBOW DASH IS BACK!" he yelled out over and over.

Peoples of all races and species gatered in the town square, "THE WARRIORS OF HARMONY ARE UNITED AGAIN!"

All five of the warriors stood at the edge of the balcony infront of the town as they cheered.

Rainbow Dash hoisted Max up onto her shoulder.

"MAX! MAX! MAX! MAX!" the crowd cheered out making Max blink in confusion, he awkwardly waved. Then he spotted Pinkie in the crowd, "HEY PINKIE!" she waved back.

XXXXX

Meanwhile, in Nightmare Moon's citadel...

Nightmare Moon lay upon her silky sheets in her large lavish private chambers with servants tending to her every desire as Gilda entered.

"My Lady. All of the Supiene has been mined from this Lifespring. The army stands at readiness, the only question is, what do we do since Rainbow Dash has returned?"

Chrysalis, Ghost, and Nightwing cringed at the name, Chrysalis' wrist was fracktured and Nightwing was on crutches.

Nightmare Moon drew in a breath and slowly let it out, her left hand idly twirled around, "do not think. Thoughts... The Ponies... were born to die... reunited they cannot defeat me while the seek the Manuscript and here it is..."

"My Lady forg-" Gilda began but Moon cut her off, "do NOT. Think. _Thoughts_..." she ended softly.

Gilda cleared her throat.

"Anxiety..." Moon began as she daintilly pointed here and there at the cielying as her suspended bed attatched to the cieling by large thick chains gently rocked back and forth, "anxiety exists, and where there is anxiety... there is... error. And where there is error... there iiiiiisss." she roled her hands around in the air, "opportunityyyyyyy~" she sang out before giggling signaling for her Lieutanants to laugh.

"THEY'RE PANICKING THEY'RE PANICKING!" Nightwing piped up.

"DO NOT THINK THOUGHTS!" Moon shouted out silencing the room. Nightmare sighed, "let them... make their mistake."

Gilda swalowed before speaking, "forgive my Lady, but if the Manuscript can harm us, why don't we just destroy it?"

Nightmare began chuckling, "it cannot _be_ destroyed." she turned her head from her prone position to look at Gilda, "YOU can be destroyed," she made wild gestures with her hands, "You're ARMIES can be destroyed, BUT IT CANOT BEEEEE destroyed..." her eratic and inconsistant voice went back to being calm again.

Silence...

"Get out, get out~" Moon almost sang, "GET AWAY FROM ME!" she screemed suddenly.

Every creature in the room bowed before hustling out of Nightmare Moon's chambers.

As they left, Nightmare Moon whispered out, "General Gilda."

The Griffon stopped in her tracks and turned back to the Alicorn.

Moon motioned with her hand, "come on." she said quickly like a child beckoning their friend over to tell them a secret.

Gilda hesitantly leaned into Moon's bed.

"Can I survive when I destroy the last Life Spring in Equestria?" Moon asked.

"No..." Gilda said almost like a question.

"no..." Moon repeated, "and do you expect me to stay in a world where I cannot survive?"

Gilda shook her head, "no."

Nightmare Moon began laughing hysterically before turning serious randomly, "another world is waiting." she giggled and then brought the Manuscript up and clutched it against her chest, "The Manuscript will help us. To get. To this other world."

"And why do we need the newcomer my Lady?" Gilda asked.

"Well, because she is the teller of tales." Moon gave a laugh... then another, then she gave out a fit of giggles and grabbed Gilda's calwed hand, "and I do not see failure in your eyes."

Gilda nodded, "the newcomer shall be yours my Lady." she gave a bow and started to walk away when Moon said, "General?"

Gilda walked back over.

"Do uh..." Moon licked her lips, "does purple suit me?" she asked randomly.

Gilda blinked, "... very much my Lady."

Moon nodded, "you are dismissed."

XXXXX

The Five Warriors and Max sat on the main balcony of Tao when Fluttershy spoke up, "I don't like it, tell Mistress Celestia what we're doing!" "there's no time!" Rarity cut in.

Dash put out a hand, "just listen to what she's saying."

Pinkie began to ascend the stairs with a bowl of fruid when she heard the hushed voices, "But Nightmare Moon could attack us at any time!"

Fluttershy turned, "she said to be patient Rarity."

"Patience is not my virtue." Rarity quiped.

"Rarity, if all o' us go, there'll be chaos!" Applejack snapped.

Fluttershy nodded her agreement, "and I made a pledge to protect these people, and I'm not leaving them!"

Dash faced Fluttershy, "I let the Manuscript fall into Nightmare Moon's hands and I made a pledge to mistress Celestia to get it back, I'll go myself."

Twilight clanked her metal in a silent language saying that she'd stand by Dash's side.

Rarity nodded, "I'll go with you too."

"Hey what about me?" Max spoke finally, "I mean, Mistress Celestia said I'm the only one who can read the Manuscript anyway."

Rarity turned to the boy and put a hand on his shoulder, "that would be unwise Max." Max sighed. Twilight put an armored hand on his shoulder wiht a clank, when he looked to her she made another body language gesture with her hands.

"What'd she say?" Max asked.

Rarity leaned in, "she said we must keep you from harm, you're a friend."

Max smiled, then he turned to Twilight and held his fist out, Twilight recoiled slightly, "relax, it's just a cool handshake." he went through the motions of the secret handshake that he and Jamal had come up with.

Twilight smiled and held his hand.

"Good luck Twilight..." Max said.

Pinkie slowly made her way back down the stairs.

A while later down by the river, Iron Will sat next to one of his pals complaining about his new charge, "always having to offer everything up don't ya?! Well look at us now! Do I look like a baby sitter! Why don't you go get us something to eat that's all you're good for!" the goat turned to him and made a shhhh motion.

Iron Will waved him off, "oh forget it, your breath stinks."

inside the house they were guarding, Max lay upon a bed sleeping.

XXXXX

Back in Nightmare Moon's citadle, Moon stood in her bed cambers when a group of dragons walked in with a woman inbetween them. "My Lady, Pinkie is here."

Nightmare Moon turned around and faced Pinkie, she then made a wave of her hand and the servants left.

Moon stood at Pinkie's side and studied her, then put a hand on her chin causing the woman to cringe. Moon then took her hand away and mimicked Pinkie's voice, "you killed it was obscene... IT WAS A LIFE!"

Tears started to flow down her face.

Moon then tilted her head and held up a vial, "yield to vengence; let your rage and lust for revenge drive you." she flicked the cork off.

Moon waved the vial around in Pinkie's face, "medication time~" Moon sang out. Pinkie seemed to be transfixed by it as Nightmare cirlced her and soon the woman tried to reach out for it but Nightmare kept just out of reach and begun dancing around the room and Pinkie chased after her, "the newcomer has taken a liiiking to youuuu~"

"Yes!" Pinkie admitted.

Moon caught her and twriled the woman around, "you care for him~"

Pinkie looked up at the Alicorn, "he's fallen under my spell." she said as she reached out for the bottle but Moon still kept it out of reach, "and what a spell it is." Moon replied before leaning in and kissing the human, "Pinkiieee~"

Pinkie yanked her head away in disgust.

Moon laughed and held the vial infront of Pinkie using it to push against her chin forcing her to face the Alicorn who stood several feet taller than her.

"What are you afriad of hm?" she leaned down to kiss Pinkie again, "what are you afriad of?"

Pinkie finally snatched the bottle, "ahhh, not you." Pinkie replied.

"That's my girl." Moon smiled sadistically.

Pinkie turned away and downed the vial of Supiene.

XXXXX

Max awoke with a start, panting he turned his head and looked out the window and saw Iron Will and his buddy dozing off.

Max let out a breath of relief, he'd had the worst dream that the city was burning, but it was still fine... and his leg was not dismembered...

He then looked down to an object wrapped up on white cloth, opening it, he saw a giant claymore at least 9 feet tall with seven narrow blades each a different color of the rainbow and all intersecting and criscrossing with oneanother down the length of the blade.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you." a voice called out from nearby, Max looked up to see the Theif. "That's Rainbow Dash's sword. Nobody touches Rainbow Dash's sword, not even Rainbow Dash anymore... know what I mean?"

Max leapt up and ran over to the dwarf sticking a finger in his chest, "you! What are you doing here?! Huh!"

The Thief walked over to the bed, "I've got a deal for you newcomer. I've got something you want."

"What?..." Max asked with a distrusting look.

"I'm not telling, until I get something in return. WOAH!"

Max snatched the dwarf up by the scruff of his shirt and shook him, "tell me now midget!"

"Woah! Take it easy! I'll tell ya! I'll tell ya!"

Max released him.

The Thief looked left and right, "I've got the Manuscript."

"The what?!" Max replied incredulously.

"Shhhh! Stole it right from underneath Nightmare Moon's nose."

Max frowned, "show it to me."

"Are you crazy?! It's hid. Hid where no one's gonna find it but me. But I'll take you there." the Thief replied.

"We have to tell them." Max started to get up but the Thief grabbed his hand, "no, no, no, no, no, no you're not listening, the Manuscript's not there's, it's yours. Look, once they use up all the power how are you gonna get home? Huh? Do you wanna stay here forever? Never see your family again? Your friends? Ever?"

Max thought it over.

"Now take it from me, it's now or never."

Max thought some more, "no, look, I can't leave them, they need me!"

The Thief sighed before hopping off the bed, "fine, you're not interested? I'll ask someone else."

"Wait..."

the Thief stopped with a smile and turned around. "A small reward for my efforts."

Max dug through his pockets before pulling a small object out and handing it to the Thief, "it's a good watch."

The Thief inspected it before giving it a bite, his teeth pressing a button and causing a beebing noise making him jump.

"Well... it's better than nothing, come on."

Up upon the maine balcony, Celestia stood with the beads in her hand, she squeezed on the rope link between two beads until it broke and the spheres fell idly to the ground.

XXXXX

The Thief led Max through the trees in the forest and Max struggled to keep pace, "hey wait up!" suddenly an arm came out and snatched him up, "welcome to the other side." as Gilda restrained him.

"JEERRKK!" Max yelled at the Thief.

"May virtue be yours." the Thief sneered before santeering off.

"Let go! Let go of me you punk!" Max thrashed around.

Gilda raced through the woods when suddenly the end of a walking stick poked her in the stomach, she froze still.

"Mistress Celestia!" Max cried out as the Alicorn stood infront of them.

Celestia used her cane to tap Gilda's shoulder and she dropped the boy. Max scuttled away and hid behind Celestia who stared into Gilda's soul, "Gilda, that is not your way, Nightmare Moon's lies have blinded your way... but the truth is still there." and with that, Celesti turned around and guided Max away.

Gilda stood paralized for a few more moments before a voice sounded in her head, "in your heart." and she was released, she fell back against a tree and yanked her helmet off. She lay panting against the tree's bark and her life played through her mind over and over again, her friends and familly... Everything she'd done that would cause shuch dissapointment from them. Tears ran down her face, "I'm sorry..."

XXXXX

Three of the Warriors of Harmony raced through the woods towards Nightmare Moon's citadle, they silently made their way inside where the Manuscript sat atop a podium in the centter of the Tao symbol in Nightmare Moon's throne room.

Dash and Twilight with her ring around her torso like a diagonal shash stepped up infront of it.

Rarity looked around the area as Dash reached forward, "the Manuscript..."

Rarity turned to Dash and grabbed her wrist shaking her head. "Dash it's too easy..."

Twilight tilted her head poked the podium with her hoof, the entire spire and the book disipated into thin air as a hundred cuffs on chains shot out of the walls around them, they dodged and knocked them away but sheer numbers won out and soon all five were restrained.

They were all yanked up into the air when they heard someone speak, "helloooo~" PInkie's voice sang out as she walked into the area, her hair now hanging down in a straight curtain.

Twirling her wrist in the air she whistled.

Dash looked down at her, "Pinkie..."

"Pinkie?" Rarity called out from her side of the Pony cluster.

Pinkie held her hands to gether as she walked into the room, "awww, the protectors of Tao, weak, vulnerable..."

"What are you doing here?" Dash asked.

Pinkie giggled, "oh! Are you really _that_ supprised Dash? Virtue of Loyalty who murders?"

"Pinkie!" Dash snarled, "It was an accident!"

Pinkie lowered her hand down to a lever, "enjoy your restitution."

"Please Pinkie! Don't let her destroy our Life Spring!"

Rarity shook her head, "we should have listened to Applejack..."

Nightmare Moon laughed hysterically as she walked in and grabbed Pinkie's hand, all of her Lieutenants and soldiers walked in making mocking sounds as they did.

"Thank you for stopping by!" Moon exclaimed. "I have, concocted a rrrrrecipee for; Pony stew." the Lieutenants continued to giggle and make the most annoying sounds.

"It requires shredding of the meat into the tiniest little pieces, and sprinkled with a little hint of Malevolince!" Moon continued, "Marinated for many, many, many, many, years with just a touch of GENNNEERROOOSSITY! And... let it simmer in Spirit/Magic. Goes down lovely with a nice vial of Siepene."

Nightwing began salivating and ran over, "oh my Lady please!"

Nightmare Moon gestured with her hand, "down." the Stallion got down on his kneese with his hand up against his chest like a dog. "Rrrroll over." the pony did so while barking. "annnnd BEEEEEG!"

The Stallion grovled, "please!"

Moon waved him off, "go away." and walked over to Chrysalis and leaned down to kiss her.

"Nightmare Moon, you forgot Loyalty." Dash sneered.

Nightmare Moon turned and stood up, "Loyalty? Only lasts so long, then it spoils..." she grabbed Pinkie and twirled her around before pressing their lips together and sucking Pinkie's face earning growls from Dash while Chrysalis rand her claws down a neaby stone column creating a screeching sound.

Moon then turned around to the four warriors, "Twilight, your stupidity astounds me, you come into MY LAIR animals that you are, and like animals, I shall serve you up as supper! And serve you to my newww and most honored guest, laaaadies and gentlemaaaan, the NEWWWCOMMERRRR!"

"No! Not Max!" Rarity and Dash struggled harder against their restraints.

Gilda walked into the room, "it was Mistress Celestia."

Moon blinked, "Celestia?"

"she took the newcomer from me." Gilda answered bluntly.

Dash looked over to the other mares, "we've gotta get outta here..."

Nightmare nodded, "I'll ah, just add a dash of Alicorn to the dish, and enjoy YOUR LIFE SPRING FOR DESERT!" she screemed at the mares.

"NOOO!" Rarity roared.

"YEEESSSSS!" Moon roared back. Then she turned to Gilda, "General Gilda," she tossed the vial to the Griffon, "drink." and with that, she grabbed Pinkie's hand and led her out of the room saying to Gilda, "do it."

Dash looked down at the Griffon, "is it worth it Gilda?"

Gilda looked up at the Pegasus, "General Gilda!" she yelled back.

"You belong with us, like it was when you were young." Dash replied.

"When we were young... even then we played on opposite sides." Gilda sneered.

"We were still friends." Dash said softly.

"DROOOOOOOP THEEEEEEEEM!" Nightmare Moon yelled out and the Tao symbol under them opened up and the bounds were released dropping all four mares faster than they could react and closed just as quickly once they fell through.

The Lieutenants laughed and giggled jumping up and down while Gilda stared silently at the symbol before turning away.

END OF CHAPTER


	4. IV

Chapter IV

"Rarity... give us some light here..."

Rarity's horn glowed for a second before she snapped her fingers lighting her thumb up like a match.

The four mares looked around seeing blades protruding from every angle, "uh oh..." Rarity breathed out.

Dash had one of the ropes from her Tunic hooke around one of the blades, soaked with water it became ten times as strong, holding onto Dash's legs was was Rarity and holding onto her legs was Twilight with her metal ring dangling from her arched ankle.

"Don't... Anypony... move..."

A strange whirling sounded from below and the mares looked down to see a giant blender of a fanplade whilring around as it slowly ascended from the bottom of the pit.

Everypony's pupils became pinpricks as they shook a bit in panick causing the rope to move slightly against the blade.

"Guyyys, don't panick!" Dash warned when suddenly the blade retracted, "oh no! WAAAAAHHHH!"

As they fell, Twilight's giant ring fell and hit the fan blades first sending it flying high above them causing their eyes to break away from their near death and towards the spikes of rock jutting out from the wall. Dash grasped hold of it and reached her other hand out grasping onto Rarity's tail as she fell who then grabbed Twilight's tail leaving her head just above the fan blade, the edges of her mane buzzed off by the metal.

Twilight panicked and flaied around as the spinning blades drew near. But from here, she saw that a second set of blades resided just underneath the first layer. As her ring cave falling back down, Twilight snatched it out of the air and hurled it at the wall with a violet glow surronding the metal and sending it ricocheting off into the fan blades and catching on one blade from each layer locking the fan in place.

Twilight then fell onto one of the blades as the machine sparked and made very not-so-good noises as she seached for a way out. At last she spotted a tunnel burrowed into the wall likely to collect the shredded bits, she signaled up to the other ponies who fell down with her and huried into the hole.

First Rarity went through, then Dash, and then Twilight but she stopped to look back at her ring still trapping the blades, "FORGET THE RING TWI! LET'S GO!" Dash yelled out from the other side.

Twilight sighed and made her way through the tunnel only to be caught half wy with her torso sticking out towards the blades, her armor catching ont the edges, Twilight tried wriggling through but it was no good.

"We've got you Twi! On three! One! Two! Threeee!" just then the ring shot off from the blades as Twilight was yanked down the tunnel only barely escaping with her head.

Rarity fell through the outside of the citadel with an unladylike 'oof!' followed by Dash to crash landed with a grunt, and then Twilight who slammed into the ground with a metalic clang and a groan of pain. She stood up and felt through her mane finding that it had been clipped short four inches, she grumbled before running off to join the other two mares.

Outside the citadel, Nightmare Moon's army was mobilizing and making their way towards Tao.

XXXXX

Back in Tao...

Celestia and Max sat infront of a fire in the middle of the old stone temple.

"Will the Manuscript really get me home?" he asked.

"Yes Max, by helping the Ponies, you _will_ find your way home." Celestia replied.

"But what about my leg?" he complained.

"What matters is not what you gain there, but what's in your heart." Celestia said sagely.

"But I want it to be strong! Like it is now." Max ran his hads along his leg.

Celestia tilted her head, "do you consider the Warriors of Harmony strong?"

"Ya! Look at them!" he pointed at the statues.

Celestia shook her head, "their strength is not in what you see, it is in their virtue. That is their Kung."

"What's Kung?" Max tilted his head.

"Kung is your energy, your inner strength. It can be positive, or negative; those like Nightmare Moon use negative Kung to kill and destroy. But if you can bring your virtues together within yourself, you will creat positive Kung, with that, you will always have the power to do the right thing." Celestia finished wiht a nod.

"... If no one else can read the Manuscript, how will I be able to?" Max asked helplessly.

"The answer lies within you." Celestia replied... then she looked around the temple, "Max... when I tell you to run, take that path and go." she gestured towards on e of the exits, "do not stop until you get to the Life Spring."

"TTTIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA~!"

Both human and Alicorn turned to see Nightmare Moon step in with a suit of silver plaitmale covering every inch of her body with dragon head shaped pouldrons and a crescent moon etched onto her cuirass.

"Who's that?" Max asked.

"It's Nightmare Moon, you should go now, RUN!"

Max got up and bolted.

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING NEWCOMER?!" Nightmare roared out. She flew fowarad at high speed but Celestia roundhoused the fire sending flaming logs into her face, Nightmare landed and struck at Celestia who parried each attack rolling it off to the side.

Moon thrust her hand forwad with a dark spear forming on her fingers but Celestia side stepped it and moved in, sweapt her hoof forward and tripped Moon sending her to the ground, or it should have if not for Moon levitating up and backfliping through the air and landing ontop of the stone steps.

Celestia teleported infront of her and the two through a flurry of super charged attacks at speeds to fast for the human eye to track, but each and every single strike was either blocked or dodged by both parties.

Until finally Moon got a hit in, then she lunged forward with her hooves and double kicked Celestia in the chest sending her skittering back along the ground; Celestia teleported back into an upright position.

Then they both flared up their horns and rushed at eachother so fast they broke the speed barier, now each deflected hit sent a shockwave that cracked the stone around them.

XXXXX

Max reached the end of the corridor and looked around. He was back in the forest, he looked around a tree to see hundreds of Lunar Guards stalking through and quickly hid within a tree until passed, then he sighed in relief until he felt a strange green slime around him, he looked up to see Chrysalis fall just infront of him on a slimy web laughing sadistically.

Max screemed as Chrysalis stuck her toungue out and hissed barring razor sharp teeth. Max knelt down and scooped up some moist mud, shoving it Chrysalis' mouth, "EAT THIS SUCKER!" then he ran of to the side as Chrysalis spat the dirt out.

XXXXX

Celestia and Nightmare Moon had destroyed most of the temple in the midst of their fight, they'd fired multiple bolts of light and dark at oneanother and were now running on pure physical energy.

Moon kept attempting aggressive offensive techniques while Celestia always parried before stepping in with a soft style counter, eventually Moon needed to hop away and fell on her rump, she got back up and laughed unnatrually as her tongue hung out the side of her mouth and ran up her face, she spun around in circles at high speed beefore stopping and holding her closed fist against her hand and then pulling it away to reveal a large thick curved broadsword with spinely teeth running along the blunt edge.

She whipped it around in the air before slashing towards Celestia sending a gust of dark energy which Celestia avoided by jumping out of the way with a twirl.

They both took to the skys and Nightmare Moon constantly bombarded her with dive bombing slashes but Celestia narrowly avoided them all. Celestia than leaned down and snatched a long strand of wheat from the ground and filled it with her energy, they returned to the skies and landed upside down on the ceiling where Celestia parried Moon's sword with the wheat and dodged her attacks before they both hopped down and landed ont two tall columns.

Nightmare Moon held her hands out and roared with such a hellish fury that the walls of the temple shook.

Max ran into the temple in his attempt to escape Chrysalis and yelled out, "Mistress Celestia!" Both Alicorns turned to the boy.

Nightmare Moon hurled herself at him but Celestia intersected her path causing Moon to slam into her with all of her dark power sending Celestia flying into a wall where she fell down groaning.

Max ran until his left foot broke through a weak tile and trapped it causing him to fall.

Nightmare Moon laughed hysterically.

"Mistress Celestia help!" Max cried.

Nightmare Moon drew her sword up and hacked at the air splitting the wind apart and sending a dark wave at Max.

Celestia soared through the air taking the hit, the dark energy ripped through her light infuzed body and tore her life force asunder.

Time slowed, Nightmare Moon screemed silently in anguish.

Celestia fell to the ground unmoving.

Nightmare Moon fell also holding her chest in pain and grunting, she slowly crawled over to Celestia, she cupped Celestia's head in her hands, "I ask you one last time Tia, I. Am. In hell... it is my prison! How can I be free?" she turned her ear to Celestia's bleeding mouth.

Max leaned in as Celestia softly spoke

"...The only hells in this world are in your heart... where all the battles must be fought..." and then... her last bits of life ebbed away.

Max's eyes stung with tears as he watched the pure hearted creature die. "No... NO!"

Nightmare Moon glared at him. Max yanked on his trapped leg coninuously.

Nightmare's mouth slowly twisted into a smile.

XXXXX

Nightmare Moon's soldiers tore through the city of Tao, pople were killed and masacred or imprisoned in nets. Mothers and children cried as their husbands and fathers were cut open or run through.

Then Fluttershy sailed through the air and slashed the nets open with her obsidian sword. She landed and turned back to the citezens, "get outta here!" she ordered before hopping into a cluster of Night Guard and fending them off with her blade, she whiped their halberds away sending them flying into the water as she ran through them, when she reached the end of the walkway, she hopped onto the wall and leapt from it spreading her wings in a hover and whiping her tail around striking opponants in the face.

More and more soldiers poured through.

Suddenly a hand reached out from the dirt and sntched Fluttershy's tail, yanking her down into the sand. It dragged her faster and faster towards the sharp corner of a boulder, she flaied her limbs about helplessly when Applejack burst down from a bridge above and slammed her staff into the ground sending Ghost flying up into the air where he raised his sword above his head.

AJ held her staff up laterally and Fluttershy hopped off of it into the air and tradded blows with Ghost.

Then Nightwing soared out of the shadows and slammed his hooves into Fluttershy sending her crashing into a nearby tree and falling limply to the ground. Ghost flew in from above with his sword ready to come down when Applejack leapt up and caught Ghost right between his legs with her staff flinging him in the opposite direction.

Ghost came in next but this time Fluttershy saw it and hurled a burst of flowers and wind into his face knocking him off his trejectory and into the lake bed.

Applejack finally got up to Fluttershy, "yall alright sugar?" Fluttershy nodded, AJ looked down to the invading forces.

"there's too many 'o them! We hafta leave!" AJ cried.

Fluttershy shook her head not wanting to abandon the people she'd sworn to protect, "no!"

"C'mon! We hafta git outta here!" "NO!"

Applejack hoisted Fluttershy's arm around her shoulder.

"STUPID MARES!" Nightwing yelled out from below, "STUPID MARES! STUPID MA-URK!" Fluttershy silenced him with a flower down his throat, the nerutoxin of the pedals knocking him uncocnious.

XXXXX

Twilight, Rarity, and Dash finally arrived in Tao only to find Night Guard leading away those they had spared in chains. "We shouldn't have left..." Dash breathed.

"It's no time for blame Dash." Rarity spoke. "We have to find the others." Dash replied.

"There's still one place that's safe."

They all nodded and left.

XXXXX

Max lay onconcious in Nightmare Moon's bed, he heard a a voice as his eye lids shifted, "Max..." it was Pinkie... or was it? It lacked the sing song honey luster that it usually carried...

Max's eyes finally opened and he looked up to see Pinkie, he bolted upright; "Pinkie? W-what are you doing here?" he then noticed that her hair was straightened and her usual cute white dress was gone in favor of a purple and rather risque outfit.

"Max... I wanted to tell you..." Pinkie began.

"No!..." Max looked around, "y-you're on _her_ side!" he backed away from the woman, "YOU'RE A TRAITOR!" he hopped out of the bed and fell onto the floor misjudging the distance to the ground.

Pinkie ran over and snatched his hand, "Max! Let me explain. I-" "NO! Mistress Celestia is dead!" Max's voice cracked, "I saw her die! How could you do this to them, they protected you!"

"PROTECT?!" Pinkie screemed at him, "protect what?! Their creed not to kill?! Well they did kill! Rainbow Dash killed!"

Max shook his head, "It was one of the bad guys!"

"IT WAS MY SISTER!" Pinkie shouted.

Max shoved Pinkie onto her but, "No! I don't believe you, you're lying!"

Pinkie got back up, "It's over now... Dash... the others, they're dead."

Max backed up with a horrified look on his face.

"Nightmare Moon killed them."

"SHUT UP!" Max screemed and held his head shaking it, "just shut up!"

Pinkie moved closer wiht her expression softening, "it's O.K. for you Max."

"NO IT'S NOT!" Max pointed a finger at her, "you set me up Pinkie! You said you were my friend!"

"No, no, you get to go home Max!" Pinkie grasped his hand and knelt infront of him, "please listen to me, do what Nightmare Moon says I don't want you to get hurt, please... please list-" Max shoved her off and ran.

Hee ran looking back until he turned infront to see Nightmare Moon's face right infront of him, they both screemed at the top of their lungs in unison "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Finally Max ran out of breath began panting with a terrified face, Moon mimicked his look and asked in a shaky scared voice, "looking for me?"

Pinkie ran through the halls trying to catch up to Max, when she finally found him, she saw him sitting on Nightmare Moon's bed where she'd first found him prior. He was holding the Manuscript.

"Maaax~" Nightmare Moon sang out as she walked around the bed, "I KNOW... your sorrows... I KNOW... your loneliness.."

Max averted her gaze.

"llllloook at meeee~" Nightmare sang out in an idiotic voice, "llloook at meeee~" she spun around, "I, am everything you can become. I aaaammmmmm your darkest thoughts Max. She leaned backwards and held her hand out idly to the side, "and I am proud to be your destiny."

Max looked down at the Manuscript.

Suddenly Moon was right next to him whispering into his ear, "no one will _ever_ laugh at you again I promise you that... let's go home... with your new leg! Max... Georgeson... touchdoowwwn!"

Max looked up and blinked.

Nightmare Moon stood up and circled around the bed, "oooopen the book. Oooooopen... the book..."

Max gulped and grabbed the cover.

"My Lady!" A soldier walked in, "the last Lifespring is now completely under our control."

Nightmare Moon smiled.

"But... the Warriors of Harmony have escaped... all of them."

Max's eyes widened.

Nightmare Moon waved her hand exasperatedly, "gooo away!" she said through grited teeth like an annoyed child, "GET OUT!"

The soldier bowed and left.

Max sat silently holding the edge of the book's cover.

"Max!" Nightmare called, "rrrread me the booook..."

Max opened the cover completley and looked at the pages.

"What does it say?"

Max flipped through the pages. They... were blank.

"What does it say?" Nightmare Moon repeated.

Max lookd up.

"Do it Max!" Pinkie said desperately, "please!"

Nightmare Moon leaned back and held her hands out, "rrrread it to me!"

"Do it and you'll get to go home!" Pinkie said now begging.

Max stared ahead before looking down at the blank pages still flipping through them.

"READ THE WORDS!" Nightmare Moon shouted.

Max finally put the book down, "shit happens..."

Nightmare Moon stared, "shit..." "happens." Max finished.

Pinkie tilted her head and pondered over the words, "shit happens..."

Max nodded.

Nightmare Moon nodded as she stood infront of Max towering above him, "shit... happens..." she leaned in until her face was inches away from max's. Max backed away slowly but Nightmare Moon covered the distance, "you can't read the book can you?"

Max gulped and looked down at the still void pages before looking back up at Moon.

"CAN YOU?!" Moon screemed causing Max to jump back in alarm.

Pinkie began hyperventalating, "Please! Give him another chance!"

Nightmare Moon flipped Max in the air and he landed on his back on the bed, "he reads nothing to me! HE MEANS NOTHING TO ME!" she rose her hand into the air as a dark energy began to swirl into it.

Max covered his face with his arms.

Pinkie thrust her hand out and a sash of her clothing shot out latching around Nightmare Moon's wrist, "NOOOOO!"

Max rolled out of the bed with the book and ran for the nearest exit.

Pinkie suddenly lurched... then she fell to the ground as Chrysalis stood behind her with blood on her claws and snickered.

Nightmare Moon stared shocked at Pinkie's dead body.

"No one touches my master." Chrysalis sneered.

Nightmare Moon thrust her hands out to her sides and roared with an unnatural voice, a burst of energy flowed out from her and slammed into Chrysalis slaming her into the wall where her skull cracked on the corner of a column.

"I WANTED HER ALLIIIIIIVEEE!" she shouted at the ceiling making it crack.

XXXXX

Max ran into the main throne room where she saw Iron Will and Rugabu tied with rope bindings, "IRON WILL! RUGABU! HELLP!"

Iron Will turned to one of the guards and head butted him sending him falling to the ground while Rugabu kicked one of the other guards in the groin.

More guards ran after Max who dodged them with the book tucked under his arm like a foot ball and spin around more of them like he was dashing for the endzone.

Iron Will and Rugabu finally got themselves free and were taking the guards out one by one, Iron Will knocking them out with a single punch or picking them up and throwing them into others while Rugabu charged them and knocked line after line into a wall.

Max finally made it through only to be stopped by a group of guards, he looked back to Iron will and Rugabu, "hey guys?"

They turned around to see the group of enemies, they looked at oneanother and grabed hands, "Upaboogee!" they then tackled into the guards and steam rolled through them.

Max ran past and Gave Iron Will a high five. Making his way out of the citadel.

XXXXX

The Five Warriors of Virtue finished burying Celestia, finishing the top layer with lotus flowers.

Fluttershy broked down crying while Rarity held her, Applejack bottled it all up and Twilight cried silently.

Rainbow Dash held up a set of monk beads and kissed them before laying them on Celestia's grave, "good bye... mistress Celestia..."

XXXXX

Inside of Nightmare Moon's room, Moon place Pinkie on her bed and ran a hand down her face before turning towards the lightning filled sky.

XXXXX

Max had his back to a tree with his hood up and balling his eyes out, "why?! Why is this all happening, I don't wanna be here! I don't wanna see death! I just wanna go home!" he turned to the tree and sobbed into it.

"Will this help?" he heard a voice and a beeping, turning, he saw his watch being dangled from the Thief's hand.

"Get outta here creep!" Max yelled.

The Thief walked out from the brush, "come on take it! It'll make ya feel better."

"Make me feel better?! A watch! Ya probly for you! All you care about is your stupid little things and your rewards! You don't know what's important! I mean how can you?! All you care about is how much you get! Just get outta her! You sold me out you sold yourself out just get outta here!" he leaned back against the tree.

"I just wanna help..."

"I don't need your help you two foot creep!" Max screemed before returning to his wallowing.

The Thief placed the watch ontop of the Manuscript and sighed before leaving. He got several feet before turning away and calling out, "the Warriors of Harmony need your help... They're at the temple ruin..." and then left.

Max stared ahead silently...

END OF CHAPTER


	5. V (Final chapter)

Chapter V

Soldiers rand through the city as Gilda pointed throughout the land, "searcch high and low! Leave no crevice unexplored!"

"We've done that already!" Nightwing whined. "Just do it!" "Whatever..."

Nightmare Moon's new throne moved to the front of the balcony and she stared out at the now bleak city.

"General Gilda!... The Manuscrrrript!" Nightmare Moon called.

"We have searched everywhere my Lady! But-" "THEN YOU HAVE NOT LOOKED...everywhere... find it... GET OUT!"

Gilda nodded and held her hands out, "GO!" she roared to the Night Guard who then dispersed.

Far away, hidden within the temple, Max entered to see a grave of glowers and the five warriors sitting silently.

"Max!" they cried out in unison.

Max winced, "I... I-I can't help you..."

The five stood.

"I... I tried to r-read it but..." his voice cracked as he opened the book, "it's e-empty... th-there's nothing, it's empty... I tried but... I can't..." Max began sniffling.

Twilight looked down before making a continuous clang of metal in sign language.

"Twi is right! This here's our home!" Applejack said affirmatively as she held out Rainbow Dash's giant claymore, "live, or die."

Dash stared at it apprehensively before grasping its handle and holding it blade up in one hand, a shimmer of rainbow colored light flew up the blade.

"It's time Rainbow Dash." Rarity said with a nod.

Dash looked to her friends and smiled, "why not?" and thrust the sword into the air, a beam of light shot out unto the ceiling.

Max's eyes widened, "cooool..."

Back in the main foyer of Tao, Nightmare Moon sat meditating in her throne when her eyes slowly opened to see the five standing upon a bridge.

"You've come into our Life Spring uninvited Nightmare Moon." Rainbow Dash spoke, "this is _our_ home and we want it back."

Nightmare Moon shook her head back and forth letting out a childish wail before smiling maniacly with oeverly opened eyes, "WARRRRRRIORRRRRS! COOOOOME OUT AND PLLAAAAAAYYYYYY! heheheheh." she suddenly vanished into shadow.

The warriors snapped their vision around searching for the Alicorn.

"Where is she?!"

Suddenly an attack came from above, Nightmare Moon dive bombed into the bridge swinging her curved broadsowrd around while shrieking with childish noises.

The five leapt from the bridge as it was destroyed and landed safely upon the ground.

Smoke filled the bridges ruin and out from it stepped Nightmare Moon, laughing in a hysterical cackle as she seemed to siezure when another Nightmare Moon walked out from behind her, and then a third... and a fourth... and a fifth!

Fluttershy's eyes widened, "oh no! Five!"

The Nightmare Moon's laughed before soaring off each in the direction of an Element of Harmony.

Fluttershy just nearly avoided the attack and hopped off of a tree to gain momentum as she swung her obsidian longsword which Moon countered and spun around with a back kick that knocked her through a pile of crates.

In another section, Applejack dodged under Moon's sword twice before twirling her staff around and stabbing at Moon's hooves with the tip before raising it up towards her head.

Moon backstepped several times before ducking and spinning around clonking AJ in the head with the hilt of her sword.

Over in yet another section, Rarity pulled out her flaming whip and hurled it around at Moon who dodged and backflipped out of the way.

Rarity then stomped on the edge of a plank of wood lifting it into the air before launching her fire into it turning it into a missile headed straight for the doppleganger who then flapped her wings and hovered above it before backflipping and kicking it with her hooves sending it back towards Rarity who then latched her whip onto two columns infront of her creating a web of metal chains that deflected the board.

Then, Moon hopped around and spinning jump kicked Rarity in the face knocking her down to a lower level on the dirt ground, as Moon hopped down to join her however, Rarity spun around on the ground to gain momentum before roundhousing Moon just as she landed on her and sending the Alicorn flying into a nearby wall.

Twilight hoisted up a new large ring and surrounded it with her aura as she stood on the bridge with Moon on the other side, "still nothing to sayyyyy?!" Moon taunted.

Twilight grunted. "Then I will be your voice!" Moon then imitated the sound of a dying pony.

Twilight rushed forward as did Moon and their metal collided sending sparks flying into the air. Twilight used the ring as a shield and deflected Moon's attacks before lowering down in a feint and rolling onto her hands before springing back up, her hooves colliding with Moon's chest and knocking her off the bridge.

Applejack slammed into the ground nearby and got up whilst shaking her head.

"Aaaaaaplejaaaack, you can't eat all them apples!" Moon laughed.

Applejack hopped back up to her hooves and grabbed her staff, she whiped her saff through the ground catching it on a rock and sending it flying at Moon who deflected it with her sword, AJ sent another, then another, then another as she drew closer.

Once AJ was close enough, she hurled around in the air and stabbed her staff forward into Nightmare Moon's chest launching her back into a tree and disarming her. Moon stood back up her lip twitching in anger.

AJ whiped her staff around in the air before holding her hand out and making the 'get some' gesture with her fingers.

Moon charged in and let loose a flury of punches and kicks which AJ blocked with her staff.

One parry knocked Moon back and AJ took the opening to rush in and slam the center of her staff into Moon's face knocking her ever further backwards. Aj then stabbed her staff forward again only for it to pierce through a tree where it was then stuck.

Moon rushed in and kicked AJ in the chest knocking her on her rump.

Over by one of the other Moons, Rarity flung her fists lit ablaze with fire forwards towards Moon who met her fists with plate gloves suceeding in knocking most of her strikes away; that is until Rarity got a little too close and spun around tail whiping her in the face.

Nightmare Moon fell to the ground abnd rolled around before standing back up. "You're just an illusion Nightmare Moon!" Rarity snarled.

Nightmare Moon growled before charging the mare who then spun around in the air tail whiping her yet again only for Moon to catch the tail, "uh oh!" Rarity shrieked when Moon began draging her back with it, Rarity struggled to crawl forward but Moon was stronger.

Suddenly, Rarity gave in and moved back nearly knocking Moon on her rump before turning around and sucker punching the Alicorn accross the jaw.

Up on the bridge, Twilight and Nightmare Moon continued to fight with their steel clanging and sparking through the air.

Over on another platform, Fluttershy and Moon tumbled around before getting to their hooves and fencing with their swords, but Fluttershy was more skilled and soon the sword play moved in her favor, she got Moon on a blocking stance and swung her sword with multiple slashes breaking Moon's guard causing her to leap over the Pegasus' next swing, Fluttershy fenced with her in the air as they both hovered until Moon spun around and kicked Fluttershy in the stomach knocking her back to the ground.

Up on the bridge, Twilight and Moon hopped off the upholster and swung their weapons as they fell down to the ground. Moon continued to swing blindly and Twilight continued to parry and block with her ring, every so often she got a kick in with her armored legs and hooves adding an extra punch.

Back up on the platform, Fluttershy and Moon were dead locked in a trading of blows.

They circled around before Moon knocked her through a table, Fluttershy landed with an oof before kicking the next table at Moon but she dodged it by backing up at unnatural speeds.

Down below, Twilight rolled around dodging Moon's strikes before locking her ring around Moon's sword and backfliping with her hooves kicking the ring up through the air taking Moon's sword with it.

Twilight then slowly moved her fists infront of her face as a violet aura surrounded her gauntleds and boots.

Moon ran in to attack but Twilight blocked with a counter punch that carried so much kinetic force that Moon was knocked back and stunned; she blinked before rushing in again, Twilight spinning back kicked her in the stomach sending her flying through a tree house. Moon rushed back out and glided towards the Unicorn to snatched her out of the air by her neck and uppercut her into the air, Moon slammed into the ground and grunted before standing back up and throwing another punch forward, this time Twilight cuaght it and rose her wrist high with one hand and bringing another below Moon's elbow thrusting it up before bringing her own eblow down and stabbing it into Moon's torso.

Moon shook her head and recolected her self, then she rushed in but Twilight rushed to meet her and tackled her with the force of a semi knocking the Alicorn on her flank before doing a front flip and carying the momentum down with her hooves into Moon's chest; her kinetic armored hooves met Moon's silver breastplate and caved it in.

AJ and Moon hopped around in the air when Moon grabbed her tunic and flapped her wings bringing them into the air before spinning around and launching the Earth Pony into the trunk of a nearby tree.

AJ landed with blood collecting on her mouth and held her chest.

Fluttershy was sent through the wall of a tree house and smashed through its floor into the house under slamming into the ground with a cough and sputter of blood.

Twilight was suddenly stopped in her advance as Moon covered her own armored fists and hooves in her own dark aura and soon the overwhelming victory turned against her; Twilight was tossed around the battlefield (literally) with a continuous stream of monstrously powerful strikes until one uppercut sent her high into the air before falling down into a net of vines.

Rarity hit the ground and began to return to her hooves when Moon's sword caught under her tunic digging into her chest and was liffted up hurling her through the air until she slammed into the column of a bridge and fell to the ground spasming as the wound on her torso was deepened.

XXXXX

Max bead his head agains tthe pages of the Manuscript as he sat over Celestia's grave.

"How can I help them?" he sobbed...

A voice softly echoed along the wind through the beam of sunlight touching his back, "the answer lies within you Max."

"C-celestia?" Max stumbled out, "h-help me..." the book's pages began to glow infront of him. On the page, words began to form, "five is one, positive Kung." below was the symbol of Tao with five leave peddals each adorned with a word, Wood, Fire, Earth, Water, Metal. and below the words read: "To take the life of another, is to lose a part of yourself."

Max blinked as he remembered when Nightmare Moon's attack ripped through Celestia's body and how Moon herself fell to the ground in pain.

Max let out a breath, "she lost her power..." a smile graced his lips, "that's it!"

XXXXX

Moon smiled and chuckled as she stood infront of Rainbow Dash, "IIII AAAAMMM GUILTY!" she threw her sword into the dirt, "GOONAAA STOP ME DASH?!" she walked up infront of the Pegasus and knled infront of her before bringing her head back exposing her neck, "are ya ready tah kill again?! Virtue of Loyalty?!"

When Dash averted her gaze, Moon flew into the air and spun around with both hooves out smashing into Dash and sending her sailing into the ground as her claymore sunk into the mud nearby, she clambered over to it but Moon kicked her hand out of the way before launching an assult of kicks and punches which Dash dodged and hopped over before responding with her own attacks. Dash spinning roundhoused but Moon dodged with her own spinning round house and knocked Dash onto the ground.

Dash got back to her hooves just as Moon lurched for her, Dash knocked away several blows in quick parries but hardly got the chance to respond with her own attack until atlast she got ahold of Moon's wrist and began to crank it in an Aikido hold when Moon grabbed Dash's other wrist and did the exact same. Dash suddenly let go and thrust her hads out to the side with a burst of energy sending Moon gliding backwards as her wings caught her momentum, "wooooohoooo!" Moon cired before coming to a stop and brushing her etheral mane out of her face.

Dash moved her hands slowly around in the air.

Moon laughed and cracked her neck before bolting forwards with her wings flaping for extra power and roared. Dash knelt down and caught Moon before throwing her overhead accelerating her momentum and sending Moon flying straight into a large spinning wheel whereupon she then slumped off onto the ground next to her sword, she got up and retrieved it from the ground.

Dash quickly leapt into the air as Moon swung the sord left and right sending wave after wave of dark energy hurling towards Dash. The rainbow maned mare nearly avoided several more as she made a mad dash for her claymore but just as she was about to grasp it, a wave of dark energy struck the blade sending it high into the sky.

Moon drew close for melee combat but Dash hopped out of the way and flapped her wings as she rose high above the wheel and sntatched her sowrd from the sky. Once she landed back ontop of the wheel with Moon, they traded blows, each clang sent a shimer of light through Rainbow's blade.

As their sword fight pushed Dash closer to the edge of the wheel, she pressed a button on the side of the hilt saying, "eat this!" a burst of rainbow colored light shot through hitting Moon square in the chest and knocking her off the wheel. Her aparition vanished.

Then the one about to impail Fluttershy vanished.

Then the one about to cut down Rarity poofed.

Then the one about to decapitate Applejack disapeared.

Then the one about to spear Twilight became non existant.

Twilight came clanking down to the ground panting as her caved in armor crushed at her bones. Fluttershy panted with bruises all over her body. Rarity sighed and lay flat against the ground as blood poured out from her chest. Applejack leaned against a tree in a daze before coughing up blood. Dash landed on the ground taking damage from her own attack with several burn marks accross her body.

The other four slowly limped their way over to Dash as Rarity carterized their wounds, "Dash... where is Nightmare Moon? What do we do now?"

Dash panted as she looked around before her eyes widened in shock. The others followed her gaze to see none other than Celestia turn about from a tree and draw near.

"m-mistress?!"

Dash weakilly got up and limped her way over.

"Dash... why didn't you listen to me? You act... in such haste."

The others looked down and recovered.

"The Life Spring... is gone." Celestia said sadly.

"Mistress... I failed you... please, tell me what to do now?" Dash rasped out.

"Now..." Celestia ran her hand along Dash's face, "you can GO TO HEELLLL!" the hand clamped on Dash's throat and lifted her into the air.

Twilight began to rise but the others forced her back down, "don't! She'll break her neck!"

Nightmare laughed as she crushed the life from Dash's body.

"HEY NIGHTMARE BITCH!" a voice yelled out from behind Moon. She turned to see Max holding the Manuscrip, "remember me?! I'm your friend, and I'm proud to be your destiny!" Max began tearing the pages from the book.

Nightmare flung Dash towards the other warriors who cuaght her as she stalked towards Max.

"DASH! FIVE AS ONE! POSITIVE KUNG! DO IT NOW!" Max then dove out of the way as a bolt of dark energy fired from Moon onto the balcony and just narrowly escaped head on collision with the explosion but not avoiding it completely.

Nightmare Moon landed in the pile of torn and burnt papers of the Manuscript, she felt her legs weaken and dropped to the ground.

Dash looked down at her lightning bolt shaped pendant, "THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY!" she ripped her medallion off as did the others and together they held the pendants up as they began to glow each a different color, "EARTH!" "FIRE!" "WOOD!" "WATER!" Twilight clanged her armor.

A burst of wind surrounded them before a rainbow colored light insued and shot out into the sky and blasted towards Nightmare Moon who's eyes widened as she stood up, "no! NOOOO! AAAAARGGGHGHHHKHKKCCHCHCKHCHKCHKCHH" her entire body lit up and turned black as cracks forme along her shell and an explosion filled the sky with blinding white light.

XXXXX

Silence fell...

The Five shook their heads as they began to stand up, "ugh... is... is everypony alight?" Dash asked as her eyes spun about in her head.

Twilight walked towards the rest of her friends with an unconcious Max in her arms.

She lay the boy down on the ground and the rest of the mares huddled around her, "Max... Max..."

Max slowly opened his eyes much to everypony's delight, "did it work?" Max mumbled out.

The mares nodded, then they noticed a crumpled up page in Max's hand, Dash grabbed it, "what's this?"

Max smiled, "I can read the Manuscript..."

Dash handed the page to Rarity to uncrumpled it, "Five is One, Positive Kung. Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Wood. To take life, you lose a piece of yoursef..."

"Max sacrificed himself to save us, Nightmare Moon expended her energy trying to kill Max with negative Kung, it weakened her." she explained.

"You made the difference Max..." Dash said while Fluttershy stroked his head, "you gave us time to combine our forces to defeat her."

Armored boots and hooves sounded from below, "oh no..." Fluttershy groaned as she stood up to see Nightmare Moon's armies rush into the center of the main foyer.

Dash stood on the edge of the balcony, "General Gilda, it's over... join us, in peace."

Rarity walked up next to her as Gilda stared at the ground, "it's they only way."

"Excuse me?" a voice called out from behind a tree, Gilda turned to see a dark blue Alicorn with a bright turquise mane and tattered remains of a silver suit of plaitmail step out, "excuese me? I-i-i'm not quite-"

Gilda walked over, "Nightmare Moon?"

"I'm uh, I'm-I'm lost and uh... could somebody please tell me the way to... how do I, how do I uh, uh, how do I get home?" Luna squeeked softly.

Dash walked up and placed a hand on her shoulder, "this is your home." she said making Luna smile.

A bright light filled the sky as rain for the first time in decades fell from the skies; Dash held her hands up and cheered.

The Night Guard dropped their weapons and took their helmets off revealing young men and women of all species and races who stared up to the raining skies.

"THE LIFE SPRING IS ALIVE!"

Ghost walked over to Gilda, "General?"

Gilda turned to the Pegasus with a smile, "release all the vilagers!"

The five warriors knelt back over Max, "you did it Max... you're a hero."

Max smiled and Twilight held up her fist. Max smiled even wider and did their secret handshake. Twilight opened her mouth and spoke, "thank... you..."

Fluttershy gasped, "Twilight spoke!"

Max felt tears sting at his eyes as he held Twilight's hand, then he smiled up at the sky before his heart beat slowed, and his eyes slowly drifted shut.

The ponie's lips quivered as Max's body went still, "max..."

XXXXX

"Max... Max... MAX!" Butch yelled from the other side of the whirlpool, "what's a matter chicken? Quit standing there like a dork!"

Max looked around, Butch's buddies cheered, "max! Max! Max! Max!"

Diane shook her head, "don't listen to him, he's just making fun of you."

Jamal spoke next, "man this is stupid! let's make like time and cuise."

Max stared at the srpay pain canister before looking back towards Jamal, "why not?" he tossed the can into the whirlpool.

Butch gawked, "I can't believe it! What are you doing?!"

Jamal smiled, "finally, I'm glad you came to your senses."

Max chuckled before they performed their secret handshake, "we got a lot to talk about."

Jamal frowned at that cryptic statemen before shrugging it off.

"Let's get outta here." Max quiped and they turned to leave.

"Max you'll never make the cut!" Butch yelled from the other side of the room.

Max ignored him with a smile.

"PANSY ASS!"

Diane glared at the teenager, "SHUT UP BUTCH!"

"Diane! Save it!"

Suddenly a clunking sounded throughout the room.

Max and Jamal turned around as a huge jet of water shot out from the large overhead pipe and knocked the shiming bridge off its hinges.

Butch's eys widened, "Oh my Geeeze!" she grabbed his head in panick as his only way out of the room was blocked off. "Help! Get me outta here!" he ran around from one side of the wall to the other helplessly.

Butch looked to his buddies, "what are you looking at you wussies?! Get me outta here!"

Jeff stared at him, "swim hard Butch."

Jamal chuckled and looked to Max, "you think we outta call 911?"

Max chuckled back, "definitely." and with that, the two boys left the bully trapped.

XXXXX

Max's mom arrived in the drive way and she slowly made her way into Max's room to find him sleeping in his bed.

"Hi..." he said quietly from the matress.

His mom smiled, "how was your night?"

Max looked around in a ponder, "Harmonous." His mother smiled, "so, how many hosues did you sell?"

"ohhh, at least twelve, we're set for life." she chuckled out. "good night honey." she kissed his forhead. "Good night." Max responded as he got settled in, "mom?" Max asked before his mom left the room, "I love you."

His mother turned back to him, "I love you too." and then the door shut.

Max's dog looked up at the cacoon in the jar by the window and plodded on over to it and sniffed it with a whimper before poking it with his nose.

Max got out of bed and walked over to the jar, picking it up in his hands he opened the lid and looked at the bottom of it, there was a note: Spread your wings Max. Max lookd up at the sky to see a shooting star soar past.

Max looked down to his dog and held out his fist, "shake." the dog put his hand on max's. Then Max pulled his hand away and came forward for a fist bmp which the dog met. "Good boy." he hugged his dog. "Hey boy... you wanna hear about Tao? It's a hell of a story!"

The End.


End file.
